Cable stacking members are currently used in various applications to hold cables of different types to a multitude of structures. A relatively new application of such a cable stacking member is to attach such a cable stacking member using nails or staples to a wooden stud commonly used in stick frame construction, which is the most commonly used method for building houses and other structures in North America. After being fastened to a stud, then wires are inserted into the cable stacking member before drywall is put into place making access to the wires or cables difficult thereafter. Many times, the types of wires that are routed using this technique are power wires such as 12-2 NM or 14-3G RD. Alternatively, communication wires and coaxial wires could also be routed using this type of cable stacking member, although they are never routed with power wires at the same time because of interference and electrical hazards. Prior to these cable stacking members, wires or cables were mounted onto studs using staples. This technique greatly limited the number of wires or cables that could be mounted. The cable stacking member allow for more wires or cables to be mounted to the stud and still maintain the inch and a quarter distance from any power wire to the edge of a standard 2″×4″ stud as required by the National Electric Code and the Canadian Electric Code.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,645 discloses a prior art cable stacking member which allows multiple cables to be held therein. When routing wires or cables throughout a building, metal conduit or nonmetallic insulated electrical wires or cables are run along the framing members of the building and secured with the cable stacking member. The framing members usually consist of wood or metal studs, joists and rafters which support the walls and ceiling of a building. Cable stacking members are generally placed every three to five feet along the cables to be secured.
The prior art cable stacking member disclosed in the '645 patent is formed of a fastener element supported on a base plate. The fastener element is a support member which has a plurality of elongate extensions extending therefrom. The extensions are arranged in equid-distantly spaced, approximately parallel relationship and are cantilever mounted to the support member so that elongate slots are formed between adjacent extensions. The cable stacking member is attached to a mounting surface and a plurality of electrical cables, wires, or other elongate articles can be retained within the slots. The ends of the elongate extensions have shoulders which narrow the open end of the slot between extensions to a width smaller than the thickness of the cable.
The cable stacking member of the '645 patent is molded of a plastic material that is sufficiently flexible to allow the extensions to spread apart and permit the cable to enter the slot, and then close around the cable, thereby securing it in the slot.
The cable stacking member disclosed in the '645 patent present several disadvantages. In the '645 patent, the extensions may be repeatedly spread apart which places stress on the upright support member. This can cause the support member to bow, thereby spreading the extensions apart from each other and possibly enabling the wires or cables to slip out between the extensions.
The width of all the slots in the cable stacking member disclosed in the '645 patent is the same, making the cable stacking member incapable of adequately holding wires or cables of different sizes and profiles. Frequently, the wires or cables are only loosely held making the possibility of the wires or cables falling out of the cable stacking member or sliding in a direction that is substantially parallel to their length quite likely, making installation difficult and increasing the possibility of wire or cable movement after the drywall has been installed. This would lead to a violation of the National Electric Code and the Canadian Electric Code and may create the electrical hazard associated therewith.
In addition, it can be difficult for a user to remove a cable from the cable stacking member disclosed in the '645 patent. It can be difficult for a user to spread the extensions away from each other because the user has to insert his or her finger between the two uppermost extensions to spread the extension apart. For a user with larger fingers, it can be difficult to grip the extension.
The present invention provides a device for stacking wires or cables which overcomes the problems presented in the prior art and which provides additional advantages over the prior art. Such advantages will become clear upon a reading of the attached specification in combination with a study of the drawings.